But in the long term, urban stations like Lindbergh still provide valuable data that can demonstrate climatic changes, he said. A comprehensive study of hundreds of U.S. stations in 2010 found that poorly sited stations — those unduly affected by artificial heating sources — showed the same basic trend of rising temperatures also recorded at stations with no siting issues.

In an urban setting like San Diego, meteorologists have to take the data they can get — uncorrupted or otherwise.

“We don’t have the money or the means to put the station in the perfect place every time,” Miller said. “I wish we could find a perfect, pristine spot. But if you get really picky, you won’t have much data.”